The question was delivered with genuine intrigue, but was nevertheless swatted away with all the conviction of a Babe Ruth swing at the home plate at Yankee Stadium. After all, it was a query that has been put to Louis Moult many times in the year he has emerged from a concrete tunnel with a claret and amber badge over his breast, but it seems just as pertinent now as it did when he proclaimed at his first ever Motherwell press conference that he would be a 20-goal-a-season striker.

Throughout that first season at Fir Park, Moult was asked with great regularity what his new target was up to as his strike tally continued to escalate with the same pace that saw him skip by burly centre-halves. Time and time again the former Stoke City forward would not be drawn by those in the press room awaiting his reply, instead choosing a pragmatic retort along the lines of ‘I just want to score goals’.

It was a similar response in the mouth of the Galabank tunnel on Saturday. Just minutes after hobbling off the pitch – more on the hobbling shortly – after his two goals handed Motherwell a 3-1 win over Annan Athletic in the Betfred Cup, Moult was again prodded on how many times he believes he can stick the ball in the pokey. Motherwell fans will be content with the familiarity of his response.

“You keep asking me that question!” laughed the 24-year-old, who had to 'settle' for 18 goals in his first year at Fir Park. “I should probably have scored more goals last season. I missed few good chances and a penalty at Hamilton. I always strive to do better and that’s what I’m aiming to do this season.”

The fact Moult fell two goals short of his target is hardly worthy of criticism, especially when considering that he has been carrying an injury for the majority of his team at Motherwell. It is an issue with his groin that saw him given just a substitute’s appearance last week against Rangers, and that should have had him rested this weekend ahead of an operation tomorrow afternoon.

Instead, a complaint picked up by fellow striker Scott McDonald meant he spearheaded the attack for the Ladbrokes Premiership side, and, despite what the man himself says, you’d never have known there was an issue until he gingerly made his way into the away dressing room at full-time.

“I’ve been training but not to the high standard that I want to train at. I have been a little bit restricted because of the injury and that problem showed against Annan,” explained Moult, who is expected to miss four games of the new campaign while recuperating. “I tried my hardest and thankfully I managed to get the two goals and four games of the season is not a massive amount so hopefully when I come back I will be raring to go.

“It restricted my movement and I couldn’t sprint as I would like to. It’s always in the back of my mind as well so I just wanted it sorted. The physio said I wouldn’t make it any worse by playing against Annan, but if there had been I probably wouldn’t have played.”

The fact Moult didn’t win the man-of-the-match award says a lot about the contribution of the man that did receive the accolade – Marvin Johnson. Moult may have been the man credited with two of Motherwell’s strikes but it was the mark left on this tie by his team-mate and fellow forward that really caught the eye. It was Johnson’s stunning half volley from the byeline that opened the scoring on 16 minutes, and it was his creativity that conjured up the two assists to get Moult up and running this term.

Since joining Motherwell from Kidderminster back in February 2015, Johnson’s stock has risen almost on a weekly basis as his lightning pace has been joined by a keen eye for goal. Many Fir Park fans may be fearing that the 25-year-old’s red-hot form could attract the attention of potential suitors, but Moult is looking forward to the prospect of seeing the man from Birmingham soar to new heights in claret and amber this season.

“I know Marv’s game and he knows mine and I think that is why we can play so well together up front,” he said. “We score goals and set each other up. We are on the same wavelength, and for my first, the minute he cuts inside I know where he is going to put it so I gambled by making my run to the back post and thankfully it paid off.

“He is getting better and better and he has a lot of confidence. If he could add more goals to his game then he will be one hell of a player, but he has to keep that type of performance up now for the season.

“Players who put the ball in the back of the net and get assists are always going to attract attention but he is very dedicated to Motherwell.”